Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1887-04-30

carriapsk6o the hotel for them. Gov
ernor Lee occupied box with Sir Ed
ward, Miss Thornton, Mr.. Braithwaite,
and Mr.. BOuyerie. In the opposite
box were Mrs. Henry A. Wise, Jr.,
Mrs. Meredith Montague, and Mrs.
Phil. Haxall, of Governor Lees party.
Miss Thornton was in full evening cos
tune, and wore handsome white silk.
She is of medium size and has a very
fair complexion.
The Debt fu the Senate.
In the Senate yesterday Mr.. Melon
aid (Republican), of Northumberland
county, called up the preamble and
Joint resolutions offered by himself on
Wednesday, soon after the Legislature
re;issembled, instructing the State debt
committee to ascertain from the Corpo-
ration Of Foreign Bondholders or re-
presentatives the names of persons
holding the States bonds, and the
number and denomination held by
each; by what authority the council
or committee determine to ask for or
demand the settlement of Virginia's
bonds which they do not now repre-
sent and requiring that before their
representative shall be permitted to
examine into the affairs of the State
they shall file with the Auditor
of Public Accounts Sj00,000 bond to
be approved by the State officers that
in the event of settlement of the debt
the corporation shall agree to defend
the State and her agents against all
suits which may be brought within the
cnSUiDD ten ycGrs from date of bood,
by or in the name of any bondholderS
of Vireinia's debt in the courts OF this
State OF in the courts of the United
States, which may have for their obi 3ct
the re0pcning or invalidating the sud
settlement
Mr.. Mcdonald said this move on the
part of the bondholders might be n
plan 70 boom the bonds, and that after
the settlement is made they may, with
ont this or some similar safeguard, be
false TO their contract and sell their
bonds to other parties. What security
has the State that they will perform
what they promise? ? He spoke at some
length on this line.
Mr. Heaton moved to refer the rcso-
iution to the special debt committee,
and, as substitute for this, Mr.. Cor
don moved to lay on the table He
thought this was practically an insult to
the commission, and he hoped the reSo-
mtions would either be laid on the
table or be Overwhelmingly voted
down.
Mr.. Mcdonald thought it a prcpos-
ferrous idea that men should be insulted
by being required to give bond tor
faithful compliance with their contract
when such is done every day in bu,i-
ness life.
Mr.. Hodges Republican, thought ,his
should be treated as a matter of bust
ness. Every safeguard possible should
be thrown around the settlement and
have this internal turmoil eliminated
from the politics of the State.
The vote on the proposition to lay on
the table resultcd-ayes, l3; noes. l3.
Mr.. Massey voted no, deciding it in the
negative.
REFER TO COURTS.
Mr.. Berry moved to refer to the
Committee for Courts of Justice.
Mr.. Hurt hoped this motion would
he lost and that the resolution would
be voted down at once. This subject
should not even be discussed while ne
eotiations for a settlement are in pro-
prCsS. If settlement is reached 1t will
then be sufficient time to talk about re-
strictions and limitations.
Mr.. Berry thought the resolutions
and what their patron bad said replete
with wisdom. He was thoroughly con-
yinccd that his position, taken before
the recess, that the Legislature should
Lc in session while negotiations are in
progress, was the correct one. Here
was, he thought, a particular in which
the committee needs the assistance Of
the Legislature, and others may arise
from time to time and it is OF the ut
most importance that before the dellb-
erations of the commission are con-
cluded the General Assembly shall know
what Is going Oh.
Mr. Heaton again insisted that the
matter should properly 90 to the special
committee which has this subject under
consideration.
Mr.. Mcdonald thought there were
other gentlemen on the floor who pos
sessed omeintelligence as well as those
on the committee, and if he had thought
the coblmittee would have the wisdom
and forethOught to guard the matter
properly he would never have offered
the resolutions.
Mr.. Berry, in reply TO what had been
said by Dir. Heaton, remarked that he
thought the debt committee had enough
to engage their attention, and all col
lateral matters should be considered by
the two houses or their committees.
EMBARRASSING SITUATION
Mr.. Wickham thought il Mr. Berry's
motion prevailed would place the debt
committee i'll n very delicate and en-
barrassing position. 1t would be diff
cult for them TO act on the matter in
charge when another committee was
considering instructions to them. lie
questioned the wisdom of such mea.
sure being adopted under the circum-
stances now existing.
Mr.. Gordon could not imagine any
circumstances under which the resolu-
tons would be proper. He thought
even their reference to a committee
would have II detrimental effect.
Mr.. Koiner said in his opinion no
proposition should he entertained that
would cause a grave doubt as to
whether the State intends to go on
with the negotiations. The whole
country was hoping for a settlement,
and he sincerely desired that no such
step as this should be taken to in any
way impair the realization of these ex-
pectalions.
INDEFINITELY POSTPONED.
Mr.. Hodges briefly supported Mr.
Berry's motion to refer to the Commit
tee for Courts.
Mr.. Loyenstein moved to indefinitely
postpone, and this motion, after short
discussion, prevailed.
Change In seheduie-Sunday Exeur'
siOns.
4 change will be made in the Allan
tic. Coast inc schedule over the Rich